Metallic signal for locomotives



' May 29, 1923.

L. L. HOFFMAN METALLIC SIGNAL FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed 001). 30

Patented May 29, 1923.

' UNITED. STATES time F LORAN LEE HOFFMAN, or MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin,

METALLIC SIGNAL ron LocoMorIvns.

Application filed October 30, 1922. Serial No. 597,912.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, Lonan LEE HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of-Milwaukee My invention refers to locomotive signals and it has for its object to provide'a simple,

economical, and efieotive combined blizzard lamp and metallic. flag for locomotives.

The specific object of my invent1on 1s to provide a metallic housing for encasmg a plurality of selective metallicsignal panels adapted to be shifted for exposure, the casing being provided with an integral bllzzard lam A nother object of my invention is-to providea metallic casing having a plurality of metallic signal flags orpanels in p votal union with the casing, whereby one of the flags may be swung to an exposed position, the casing being provided with an integral blizzard lamp. I l

.Another object of my invention is to pro.- vide the casing with a removable cover, whereby access may be. had to the metalhc signal flag units and also to the blizzard lam A fiother object of my invention is to provide" means for .detachably connecting the metallic housing with the locomotive. 1 With the aboveand minor objects in view, the invention consists in certain-:peculiarities of construction and combination of pa1:ts,.'as will be 'liereinafterset forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a front view of a fragment of a locomotive, having attached thereto a combination metallic flag and blizzard lamp embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of another form of construction of the signal flags, in which the flag may be slidably associated with the casing. V

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of th signal device, as shown in Figure 1, parts being removed and other parts in section, as indicated by line 3-3 of Figure 1.

housing.

Figure i is a plan view of the signal-Idevice having parts broken away to more clearly -1llustrate structural features.

Figure 5 is a cross section of the signal device, the section being indicated by line 5-5 of Figure 3, and I Figure 6 is a sectional view, the section being indicated by line ,6.6 of Figure 4, the said section showing particularly the blizzard lamp construction. Y Referring by characters to the drawing,

A represents the front Wall of a locomotive,

to which is aflixed a strap 1 having a central aperture 2 extending therethrough, which serves asa socket for a leg 3 of a bracket 4:, which bracket ,is secured to the rear wall 5 of ametallic housing. The said housing is preferably formed from a sheet metal blank folded to form aclosed end wall 6 anda front wall-7, which is arranged parallel to the rear wall 5, the front wall being provided with a rectangular offset chamber 8, whichqserves as the casing for a blizzard lamp.

Thebo-tto1n9 of the housing is preferably provided, with drain apertures "10 and the rear end of said housing is open to permit free swing of a pair of metallic panels 1112, respectively, which panelsare pivotally mountedupon a stud 1 3 that passes through the front and rear walls of the housing, and the panels are suitablyspaced by collars, which are mounted upon the stud 13. Thus it wlllbe seen that the metallic -panels,"iwhich constitute the flag units, can

be swung upon their pivot similar-to the blades of a jackknife, whereby they may be selectively exposed at the rear endv of. the These signalpanels, or metallic flags, are colored in accordance with standard signal requirements, and the colors are affixed thereto by enamel, whereby they are not dimmed by smoke or weather conditions, and if so, they can readily be cleansed.

When it is desired to display a certain signal, for example, panel 12 is swung oat, as indicated in F igurel of the drawings, to its exposed position with relation to the mouth of the housing, and when the panel is so swung, its lower edge abuts the bot tom wall 9 of the housing, whereby the panel will be maintained in its proper exposed position with relation to the housing. After the panel has been so swung to its exposed position, the housing, which is open at its upper edge, is closed by a removable cover plate 14, whichcover plate corresponds in shape to the casing, and it is downwardly flanged at its rear edge and also about the upper edges of the rectangular blizzard lamp casing to thus e'fiectually close the top of the housing against weather conditions. The rectangular off-set cap portion 14 of the cover, which "forms a closure for the blizzard lamp casing, has affixed thereto a .signal lanrp .15, the same :being shown in the form of an electric bulb,

which extends into the casing, whereby the same is illuminated.

It is understood that the lamp casing .or off-set chamber 8 is provided with glass covered apertures or tune eyes X, through which the light rays are deflected. Ill-order to rig-idly hold the slit cover 14: in place, its ofiset portion 1a, which caps the chamber 8, is provided with a plurality of leaf spring members 16, which ifrictionally grip the inner walls of the chamber, whereby the cover is rigidly confined and held against displacement, which might otherwise .occur, due to Vibration.

lVh'ile I have shown and described the metallic flag units or panels 1'3 and 14 as being in pivotal union with the housing, they may in some instances be arranged to slide in and out with relation to the casing, as best shown in Figure '2 of the drawing. In this instance, when av selected panel is pulled out, it may be frictionally locked .by any suitable means. It will be also noted, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, that the combination metallic housing is set obliquely with relation to the front wall A of the casing, whereby the flag mechanism and its casing, as a whole, will be positioned at an inclined plane with relation to direction "of travel of the 1000- motive, to thus serve .as a means for de fleeting wind pressure, and any tendency of the flag uni-ts to bend or toshift, due to air currents, is eliminated. This anchored position is also desirable where snow conditions are prevalent, to prevent the flag units from becoming coated with ice or snow and thus obscure the color thereof.

It is also within the scope of "m y invention to provide the housing and flags in shapes other than rectangular. As for example, the housing andfiags might be circular or oval in form without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lVhile I have shown and described sevenal :exem plifications of my invention, one of which minutely as to details, it is understood that I may vary the structural tea tures within the scope of the claims.

I claim:-

1. A combination signal for locomotives, comprising a "metallic rectangular housing :having a lamp casing projecting from its front avail, .a removable top cover for, the housing and lamp casing, :a pair oif metallic signal panels in vpivottal union with the housing, .means for selectively supporting aon'e oi the panels in an exposed position with relation to its housing, and a pair of transparent members in said casing respectively adapted to permit light to pass forwardly from said casing and to pass later :a'lly therefrom to illuminate the exposed signal panel.

'2. A combination signal for locomotives, comprising a rectangular metallic housing having :an open rear end and an open top, ,a stud extending "through the ihousing'near its open rear end, a pair of signal :panels in :pivotal :union with the stud, a slit cover for the rectangular housin and off-set lamp casing, a bracket extending angularlly from the rear wall of the housing and having a T-shaped portion, a strap :for securement to the front wall of a locomotive, the "strap :being provided with a T-shaped rap erture for receiving the IT-shaped portion of said bracket, whereby the housing is supported.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set @my hand at .Milwaukee,

in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisoonsin.

LORANLEE HOFFMAN. 

